In praise of conflict

I recently heard a friend saying that they had been a course. I am all for self-development so I asked what it was about, “Minimising conflict in your team” was the reply. This really concerned me.

If the intention was to minimise conflict, then presumably the ultimate aim would be to eliminate conflict. Conflict is vital to a team’s success. In my view, suppressing it will not make it go away. On the contrary it will simple fester and when it does comes out it will be with a bang.

Conflict is an essential part of team formation and inherent in the storming element of the earlier post on Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing. Fear of conflict contends Patrick Lencioni, the best-selling management guru, is the second main reason teams fail. (Lack of trust being the first reason.)

Conflict can often result in the creation of something new, of new ideas and new ways of looking at an issue. War is perhaps the extreme example of conflict driving innovation. Nevertheless, the concept is valid for a team, conflict can lead to innovation and ultimately greater performance.

Have the confidence then to at least tolerate some conflict. Seeking to eliminate it will end in failure:  for both the team and your efforts to control it. Manage it to keep it within limits that you are comfortable with by all means. And as your team storm, remember conflict is part of the team building process and may lead to improved performance.